U.S. patent number 10,871,310 [Application Number 16/098,039] was granted by the patent office on 2020-12-22 for underground heat exchanger.
This patent grant is currently assigned to ECO-PLANNER CO., LTD.. The grantee listed for this patent is ECO-PLANNER CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Satoshi Yasumoto.
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United States Patent |
10,871,310 |
Yasumoto |
December 22, 2020 |
Underground heat exchanger
Abstract
An underground heat exchanger has a bottomed tubular flexible
bag body accommodated in an accommodation hole portion in the
ground, and an outer tube accommodated in the accommodation hole
portion, vertically extending along an outer surface portion of the
bag body and communicating in its lower end with a lower end of the
bag body. The outer surface portion of the hardening resin bag body
can cover an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole portion
in a closely contact state with the bag body being inflated. The
bag body is hardened in the covering state, a lining tubular body
formed by the hardening can form a liquid storage tank for storing
a heat medium liquid in its internal space, and the outer tube is
pinched between the outer surface portion of the bag body and the
inner wall portion.
Inventors: |
Yasumoto; Satoshi (Fukui,
JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ECO-PLANNER CO., LTD. |
Fukui |
N/A |
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
ECO-PLANNER CO., LTD. (Fukui,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005256930 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/098,039 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2017 |
PCT
Filed: |
October 23, 2017 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/JP2017/038122 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
October 31, 2018 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2018/079463 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
May 03, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190154307 A1 |
May 23, 2019 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Oct 26, 2016 [JP] |
|
|
2016-209747 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F
21/062 (20130101); F24T 10/17 (20180501); F24T
10/00 (20180501); F28D 20/0043 (20130101); Y02E
70/30 (20130101); Y02E 10/10 (20130101); F28D
1/06 (20130101); F28D 7/10 (20130101); F28D
7/0008 (20130101); F28F 2255/02 (20130101); Y02E
60/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61D
27/00 (20060101); F24T 10/17 (20180101); F28F
21/06 (20060101); F24T 10/00 (20180101); F28D
20/00 (20060101); F28D 7/00 (20060101); F28D
7/10 (20060101); F28D 1/06 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;165/45 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2646628 |
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Oct 2004 |
|
CN |
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203132205 |
|
Aug 2013 |
|
CN |
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203361131 |
|
Dec 2013 |
|
CN |
|
3139868 |
|
Apr 1983 |
|
DE |
|
1486741 |
|
Dec 2004 |
|
EP |
|
60-93260 |
|
May 1985 |
|
JP |
|
H 10317389 |
|
Dec 1998 |
|
JP |
|
2004-20017 |
|
Jan 2004 |
|
JP |
|
2013-100935 |
|
May 2013 |
|
JP |
|
2013-108658 |
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Jun 2013 |
|
JP |
|
2013108658 |
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Jun 2013 |
|
JP |
|
2015-517643 |
|
Jun 2015 |
|
JP |
|
2016-217688 |
|
Dec 2016 |
|
JP |
|
WO 2000/037862 |
|
Jun 2000 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Rojohn, III; Claire E
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sudol; R. Neil Coleman; Henry
D.
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. An underground heat exchanger comprising: a bottomed tubular
flexible bag body which is accommodated in an accommodation hole
portion disposed under ground in a vertical direction, and extends
in the vertical direction; and an outer tube which is accommodated
in the accommodation hole portion, extends in the vertical
direction along an outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular
flexible bag body from an upper end to a lower end thereof and
communicates at a lower end with the lower end of the bottomed
tubular flexible bag body, wherein the bottomed tubular flexible
bag body is made of a hardening resin, the outer surface portion of
the bottomed tubular flexible bag body can cover an inner wall
portion of the accommodation hole portion in a close contact state
in a state in which the bottomed tubular flexible bag body is
inflated, the bottomed tubular flexible bag body is structured to
be hardened in the close contact state of the outer surface portion
covering the inner wall portion of the accommodation hole portion,
and a lining tubular body formed by the hardening is capable of
forming a liquid storage tank for storing a heat medium liquid in
its internal space, and wherein the outer tube is structured to be
pinched between the outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular
flexible bag body and the inner wall portion.
2. An underground heat exchanger comprising: a bottomed tubular
flexible bag body which is accommodated in an accommodation hole
portion disposed under ground in a vertical direction, and extends
in the vertical direction; and an outer tube which is accommodated
in the accommodation hole portion, extends in the vertical
direction along an outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular
flexible bag body on only one side thereof and communicates at a
lower end with a lower end of the bottomed tubular flexible bag
body, wherein the bottomed tubular flexible bag body is structured
such that a core member obtained by impregnating a flexible base
member with a liquid hardening resin is accommodated between a
flexible inner bag made of resin and a flexible outer bag made of
resin, the outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular flexible
bag body can cover an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole
portion in a close contact state in a state in which the bottomed
tubular flexible bag body is inflated, the bottomed tubular
flexible bag body is structured to be hardened in the close contact
state of the outer surface portion covering the inner wall portion
of the accommodation hole portion, and a lining tubular body formed
by the hardening is capable of forming a liquid storage tank for
storing a heat medium liquid in its internal space, and wherein the
outer tube is structured such as to be pinched between the outer
surface portion of the bottomed tubular flexible bag body and the
inner wall portion.
3. An underground heat exchange system comprising: a bag body
having a bottomed tubular flexibility and made of a hardening
resin, the bag body being accommodated in an accommodation hole
portion which is provided under ground in a vertical direction; and
an outer tube extending along an outer surface portion of the bag
body in the vertical direction and communicates at a lower end with
a lower end of the bag body, the outer tube being accommodated in
the accommodation hole portion, wherein the bag body in an expanded
and hardened state is cylindrical with a first outer diameter and
said outer tube is cylindrical with a second outer diameter smaller
than said first outer diameter, said outer tube being pinched
between a desired width portion of the outer surface portion of the
bag body, extending in a circumferential direction, and an inner
wall portion of the accommodation hole portion, and a major portion
of the outer surface portion is in a state of covering the inner
wall portion in a close contact state, wherein the bag body is
structured to be hardened in the covering state, and a lining
tubular body formed by the hardening is structured to form a liquid
storage tank which can store a heat medium liquid in its internal
space, wherein an inner tube is structured to be arranged in an
upper portion of the liquid storage tank in a state of sinking its
lower end portion into the heat medium liquid within the liquid
storage tank, wherein an upper end of the outer tube is structured
to be connected to one end of a heat absorbing and radiating tube
portion which is capable of radiating heat in an area where heat
radiation is required and can absorb heat in an area where heat
absorption is required, and an upper end of the inner tube is
structured such as to be connected to the other end of the heat
absorbing and radiating tube portion, the upper end of said outer
tube and the upper end of said inner tube communicating with one
another via said heat absorbing and radiating tube portion, and
wherein a pump for circulating the heat medium liquid is
interposed.
4. The underground heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein an
inner peripheral surface of the lining tubular body is formed
partially into a concave surface and partially into a convex
surface.
5. An underground heat exchanger comprising: a bottomed tubular
flexible bag body which is accommodated in an accommodation hole
portion disposed under ground in a vertical direction, and extends
in the vertical direction; and an outer tube which is accommodated
in the accommodation hole portion, extends in the vertical
direction along an outer surface of the bottomed tubular flexible
bag body and communicates at a lower end with a lower end of the
bottomed tubular flexible bag body, wherein the bottomed tubular
flexible bag body has a water proofing property and can form a
liquid storage tank for storing the heat medium liquid, and an
outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular flexible bag body is
capable of covering in a closely contact state an inner wall
portion of the accommodation hole portion, in a state in which the
heat medium liquid is stored in the bottomed tubular flexible bag
body and the bottomed tubular flexible bag body is inflated, and
wherein the outer tube is of smaller outer diameter than the
bottomed tubular flexible bog body and is structured to be pinched
between the outer surface portion of the bottomed tubular flexible
bag body on only one side thereof and the inner wall portion.
6. The underground heat exchanger according to claim 2 wherein an
inner peripheral surface of the lining tubular body is formed
partially into a concave surface and partially into a convex
surface.
7. The underground heat exchanger according to claim 3 wherein an
inner peripheral surface of the lining tubular body is formed
partially into a concave surface and partially into a convex
surface.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an underground heat exchanger
which can achieve an improvement of a heat efficiency.
BACKGROUND ART
The structure disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has been proposed as
an example of an underground heat exchanger which utilizes
underground heat as a heat source. The underground heat exchanger a
is formed by excavating a borehole b having predetermined hole
diameter and depth while filling muddy water therein as shown in
FIG. 32. A bottomed tubular flexible bag body d which is made of a
watertight material and can be formed into the same shape as the
borehole b is inserted into an inner portion of the borehole b
formed as mentioned above. Thereafter, an inner tube e is inserted
until its lower end f reaches a bottom portion g of the borehole b.
Thereafter, a heat medium liquid j is injected into an inner
portion of the flexible bag body d through the inner tube e so as
to inflate the flexible bag body d while removing the muddy water
via the borehole b by driving a sludge removal pump (not shown)
arranged in a land surface portion side. Thus, a liquid storage
tank n is formed by bringing the flexible bag body d into close
contact with a hole bottom portion k and a hole wall m as shown in
FIG. 32. After the heat medium liquid j is injected and filled as
mentioned above, the inner tube e serves as an extraction tube in
an air conditioner (not shown) side. Further, the underground heat
exchanger which can supply and discharge the heat medium liquid to
and from the air conditioner side can be constructed by piping a
return tube p within the flexible bag body d.
However, the underground heat exchanger has had room for
improvement in the light of improvement of the heat efficiency.
More specifically, when heating a building during the winter
season, the heat medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n
is sucked by a lower end q of the return tube p and supplied to the
air conditioner by driving the pump, and the heat medium liquid
having a temperature reduced by the air conditioner moves toward a
bottom portion r of the liquid storage tank n through the inner
tube e and flows into the liquid storage tank n in the bottom
portion r. Since the temperature of the heat medium liquid j moving
toward the lower end f in the inner tube e is lower than the
temperature of the heat medium liquid j within the liquid storage
tank n, heat transfer is generated in an entire circumference
surface s of the inner tube e from the heat medium liquid j within
the liquid storage tank n toward the heat medium liquid j within
the inner tube e. As a result, the temperature of the heat medium
liquid j which is raised by the heat transfer from a
circumferential underground t having a relatively high temperature
to the heat medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n is
lowered. The temperature of the heat medium liquid j within the
liquid storage tank n is higher toward its upper side, however, the
heat medium liquid within the inner tube e draws heat from the heat
medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n on the basis of
the heat transfer during the movement toward the bottom portion r
of the liquid storage tank in the portion having the high
temperature distribution. As a result, there has been a problem
that the heat efficiency of the underground heat exchanger has been
sometimes lowered.
On the contrary, in the summer season, the temperature of the heat
medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n is relatively
lower than the temperature of a heat discharged region in the air
conditioner. As a result, the heat medium liquid j passing through
the air conditioner and temperature raised by the driving of the
pump moves toward the bottom portion r of the liquid storage tank n
through the inner tube e and flows into the liquid storage tank n
in the bottom portion r. Therefore, the heat transfer to the heat
medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n is generated in
the entire circumference surface s of the inner tube e from the
heat medium liquid j within the inner tube e which is relatively
high in temperature, and the heat medium liquid j in the liquid
storage tank n is warmed up. As mentioned above, the heat
efficiency of the underground heat exchanger is deteriorated.
According to the underground heat exchanger a structured such that
the inner tube e for moving the heat medium liquid supplied from
the air conditioner side is arranged within the liquid storage tank
n in its vertical direction as mentioned above, the heat transfer
is generated from the heat medium liquid j within the liquid
storage tank n toward the inside of the liquid storage tank n in
the winter season. On the contrary, the heat transfer is generated
from the heat medium liquid j within the inner tube e toward the
heat medium liquid j within the liquid storage tank n in the summer
season. As a result, there has been a problem that leads to
reduction in the heat efficiency of the underground heat exchanger
a.
It can be thought to coat the inner tube e with the heat insulating
material in the same manner as described in paragraph 0033 of
Patent Literature 2. However, in the case that the inner tube is
coated with the heat insulating material, a volumetric capacity
within the liquid storage tank n is reduced at that degree, thereby
lowering the heat efficiency of the underground heat exchanger at
the reduced volumetric capacity.
Further, due to the following reason, there has been a problem that
the longer the bottomed tubular flexible bag body d is, the harder
the work for inserting the inner tube e or the return tube p into
the flexible bag body d is or the work is practically impossible.
More specifically, since the flexible tubular body d inserted into
the inner portion of the borehole which is filled with the muddy
water is in a stare of being crushed with the water pressure, the
lower end of the inner tube e or the return tube p comes into
contact with each of the flexible bag body d in the crushed state
at the inserting time even if the inner tube e or the return tube p
intends to be inserted into the flexible bag body d. As a result,
the insertion is practically impossible.
Consequently, it is thought to carry out the work for inserting the
inner tube e or the return tube p into the flexible bag body d on
the ground and thereafter insert the flexible bag body d in a state
in which the inner tube e or the return tube p is inserted, into
the inner portion of the borehole. However, in this case, it is
necessary to secure a wide work space around a construction field
in the case that the flexible bag body d is long, and this
structure has not been practical.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
H10-317389 PATENT LITERATURE 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 2015-517643
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
The present invention is developed by taking the conventional
problem into consideration, and an object of the present invention
is to provide an underground heat exchanger which can expect
improvement of heat efficiency.
Solution to Problem
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present
invention employed the following means.
More specifically, a first aspect of an underground heat exchanger
according to the present invention is provided with a bottomed
tubular flexible bag body which is accommodated in an accommodation
hole portion disposed in the ground in a vertical direction, and
extends in the vertical direction, and an outer tube which is
accommodated in the accommodation hole portion, extends in the
vertical direction along an outer surface portion of the bag body
and is communicated in its lower end with a lower end of the bag
body, and is characterized in that the bag body is made of a
hardening resin, the outer surface portion of the bag body can
cover an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole portion in a
closely contact state in a state in which the bag body is inflated,
the bag body is structured such as to be hardened in the covering
state, a lining tubular body formed by the hardening can form a
liquid storage tank for storing a heat medium liquid in its
internal space, and the outer tube is structured such as to be
pinched between the outer surface portion of the bag body and the
inner wall portion.
A second aspect of the underground heat exchanger according to the
present invention is provided with a bottomed tubular flexible bag
body which is accommodated in an accommodation hole portion
disposed in the ground in a vertical direction, and extends in the
vertical direction, and an outer tube which is accommodated in the
accommodation hole portion, extends in the vertical direction along
an outer surface portion of the bag body and is communicated in its
lower end with a lower end of the bag body. The bag body is
structured such that a core member obtained by impregnating a
flexible base member with a liquid hardening resin is accommodated
between a flexible inner bag made of resin and a flexible outer bag
made of resin. Further, the outer surface portion of the bag body
can cover an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole portion
in a closely contact state in a state in which the bag body is
inflated, the bag body is structured such as to be hardened in the
covering state, and a lining tubular body formed by the hardening
can form a liquid storage tank for storing a heat medium liquid in
its internal space. Further, the outer tube is structured such as
to be pinched between the outer surface portion of the bag body and
the inner wall portion.
A third aspect of the underground heat exchanger according to the
present invention is structured such that a bag body having a
bottomed tubular flexibility and made of a hardening resin is
accommodated in an accommodation hole portion which is provided on
the ground in a vertical direction, an outer tube extending along
an outer surface portion of the bag body in the vertical direction
and communicated its lower end with a lower end of the bag body is
accommodated in the accommodation hole portion, the outer tube is
in a state of being pinched between a desired width portion of the
outer surface portion of the bag body as seen from a
circumferential direction and an inner wall portion of the
accommodation hole portion, and the other portion than the desired
width portion of the outer surface portion is in a state of
covering the inner wall portion in a closely contact state.
Further, the bag body is structured such as to be hardened in the
covering state, and a lining tubular body formed by the hardening
is structured such as to form a liquid storage tank which can store
a heat medium liquid in its internal space. Further, an inner tube
is structured such as to be arranged in an upper portion of the
liquid storage tank in a state of sinking its lower end portion
into the heat medium liquid within the liquid storage tank, an
upper end of the outer tube is structured such as to be connected
to one end of a heat absorbing and radiating tube portion which can
radiate heat in an area where heat radiation is required and can
absorb heat in an area where heat absorption is required, an upper
end of the inner tube is structured such as to be connected to the
other end of the heat absorbing and radiating tube portion, and a
pump for circulating the heat medium liquid is interposed.
A fourth aspect of the underground heat exchanger according to the
present invention is characterized in that an inner peripheral
surface of the lining tubular body is formed into a concavo-convex
surface in the first aspect, the second aspect or the third
aspect.
A fifth aspect of the underground heat exchanger according to the
present invention is provided with a bottomed tubular flexible bag
body which is accommodated in an accommodation hole portion
disposed in the ground in a vertical direction, and extends in the
vertical direction, and an outer tube which is accommodated in the
accommodation hole portion, extends in the vertical direction along
an outer surface portion of the bag body and communicates at its
lower end with a lower end of the bag body, and is characterized in
that the bag body has a water proofing property and can form a
liquid storage tank for storing the heat medium liquid, an outer
surface portion of the bag body can cover in a closely contact
state an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole portion, in a
state in which the heat medium liquid is stored in the bag body and
the bag body is inflated, and the outer tube is structured such as
to be pinched between the outer surface portion of the bag body and
the inner wall portion.
Effect of the Invention
The present invention is provided with a basic structure including
the bottomed tubular flexible bag body which is accommodated in the
accommodation hole portion disposed in the ground in the vertical
direction, and extends in the vertical direction, and the outer
tube which is accommodated in the accommodation hole portion,
extends in the vertical direction along the outer surface portion
of the bag body and is communicated in its lower end with a lower
end of the bag body. Therefore, according to the present invention,
it is possible to provide the underground heat exchanger which can
expect an improvement of a heat efficiency. Further, since the bag
body is gathered together with the outer tube in such a manner as
to envelop the outer tube and both the elements can be collectively
accommodated within the accommodation hole portion, it is possible
to easily construct the liquid storage tank for the underground
heat exchanger.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory views describing an underground
heat exchanger according to the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are transverse cross sectional views of upper and
lower sides in a state in which a lining tubular body is
formed.
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view showing a state in
which an outer surface portion of a bag body covers a surface
portion of an outer tube and an inner wall portion of an
accommodation hole portion.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are vertical cross sectional views showing a hole
portion formed by covering the inner wall portion of the
accommodation hole portion provided on the ground in a vertical
direction with a cylindrical casing.
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a state in which
an accommodation material constructed by the bag body, the outer
tube and a weight is accommodated in the hole portion.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory views of a partial cross section
showing a state in which a lining tubular body is removed after the
accommodation as mentioned above.
FIG. 7 is a partly cut perspective view describing the bag
body.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are transverse cross sectional views of the
same.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory view describing an example of a way for
arranging a warp knitted tube member in an annular gap which is
formed between a flexible inner bag and a flexible outer bag.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view describing a state in which a core
member is accommodated in the annular gap.
FIGS. 11A to 11C are vertical cross sectional views showing a state
in which a bottom member is joined to a lower end tube portion of a
flexible tubular member having open upper and lower ends in the bag
body, and a lid member is joined to an upper end tube portion
thereof.
FIG. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view describing a bottom
member.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view describing the bottom member and a
lower end portion of the outer tube.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lower
end of the outer tube is communicated with the bottom member.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the lid member in a state in
which a plug body is detached.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the plug
body is attached to the lid member.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the lid member, and an upper
tube member and a lower tube member which are attached to the lid
member according to a threadable engagement.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lower
tube member is attached to the lid member.
FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view describing an example of the
outer tube.
FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view showing a state in which the bag
body is set to an enveloped state so as to envelop the lower tube
member and the outer tube and the enveloped member is bound by a
binding member.
FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view showing a state in which the bag
body is set to an enveloped state so as to envelop the outer tube
and the enveloped member is bound by the binding member.
FIGS. 22A and 22B are explanatory views of a partial cross section
describing a process of sequentially inflating the bag body
accommodated in the accommodation hole portion from its lower side
toward its upper side.
FIGS. 23A and 23B are explanatory views of a partial cross section
showing a state of further inflating the bag body in a state in
which the plug body is attached to the lid member.
FIG. 24 is a vertical cross sectional view describing a step of
hardening a hardening resin with hot water.
FIG. 25 is an explanatory view describing the other aspect of the
underground heat exchanger according to the present invention.
FIG. 26 is a transverse cross sectional view describing the
underground heat exchanger.
FIG. 27 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a hole portion
formed by covering an inner wall portion of the accommodation hole
portion provided on the ground in the vertical direction with a
cylindrical casing when constructing the underground heat
exchanger.
FIG. 28 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a state in which
an accommodated member constructed by the bag body, the outer tube
and a weight is accommodated in the hole portion.
FIGS. 29A and 29B are explanatory views of a partial cross section
showing a state in which a lining tubular body is removed after
accommodating as mentioned above.
FIG. 30 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a liquid storage
tank which is constructed by using a pile made of concrete.
FIG. 31 is a cross sectional view showing a liquid storage tank
which is covered with a lining tubular body constructed by using a
pile made of steel tube.
FIG. 32 is a cross sectional view describing a conventional
underground heat exchanger.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
Embodiment 1
In FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3, 6A and 6B, an underground heat
exchanger 1 according to the present invention utilizes as a heat
source an underground heat which is kept averagely at 15.degree. C.
throughout the year, and is provided with a bottomed tubular
flexible bag body 5 which is accommodated in an accommodation hole
portion 3 arranged on the ground 2 in a vertical direction and
extends in the vertical direction, and an outer tube 10 which is
accommodated in the accommodation hole portion 3, extends along an
outer surface portion 6 of the bag body 5 in the vertical direction
and is communicates at its lower end 7 with a lower end 9 of the
bag body 5, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Further, the outer tube 10
is structured such as to be pinched between the outer surface
portion 6 of the bag body 5 and an inner wall portion 11 of the
accommodation hole portion 3. More specifically, as shown in FIG.
3, the outer tube 10 is structured such as to be pinched between a
desired width portion 12 as seen in a circumferential direction in
the outer surface portion 6 of the bag body 5 and the inner wall
portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3, and the other
portion 13 than the desired width portion 12 of the outer surface
portion 6 is structured such as to be in a state of covering the
inner wall portion 11 in a closely contact state.
Further, the bag body 5 is structured such as to be hardened in
this covered state, and is structured such that a lining tubular
body 15 (FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B) formed by the hardening forms a
liquid storage tank 19 which can store a heat medium liquid 17 in
an internal space 16 thereof, and an inner tube 21 is arranged in
an upper portion 20 of the liquid storage tank 19 in a state in
which a lower end side portion 22 of the inner tube 21 is immersed
in the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid storage tank 19. A
lower end 125 of the inner tube 21 is preferably positioned at a
depth of about 1 to 2 m from a land surface 126. The heat medium
liquid 17 is a medium which transfers a thermal energy, and
normally employs water, however, may employ mixture of antifreeze
liquid with the water in a cold district.
Further, an upper end 23 of the outer tube 10 and an upper end 24
of the inner tube 21 are connected to one tube portion 27 and the
other tube portion 29 of a heat absorbing and radiating tube
portion 26 via connection tube portions 30 and 31 as shown in FIGS.
1A and 1B. The heat absorbing and radiating tube portion 26 can
radiate heat in an area where heat radiation is required, and can
absorb heat in an area (hereinafter, refer to as a heat absorbing
and radiating area) 25 where heat absorption is required. In FIGS.
1A and 1B, the upper end 24 is connected to the one tube portion 27
and the upper end 23 is connected to the other tube portion 29. As
a result, a pipe line 32 in which the heat medium liquid 17 flows
is constructed. Further, at a desired position of the pie line 32,
a pump 33 for circulating the heat medium liquid 17 within the pipe
line 32 is arranged at desired positions of the connection tube
portions 30 and 31. Further, a selector valve (not shown) is
provided in the pipe line 32 for switching an operation of the
underground heat exchanger 1 in the summer season and the winter
season.
In the present invention, the heat absorbing and radiating area 25
means various areas requiring the heat absorption and radiation,
for example, an inner portion of various buildings such as a house,
a factory and a station building, a surface of each paved portion
such as a parking space, an open road and a bridge, and a surface
of a paved portion of a railroad station vicinity and a tunnel.
The accommodation hole portion 3 is provided, for example,
excavating the ground 2 serving as a sedimentary layer to a desired
depth, and is set, for example, to about 165 mm in its hole
diameter and about 10 to 100 m in its depth. In the present
embodiment, the ground is excavated to the desired depth together
with a cylindrical casing while supplying water in a state in which
an excavation bit is expanded its diameter according to the usual
manner. FIGS. 4A and 4B show a hole portion 37 which is formed by
coating the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion
3 formed by the excavation bit and having a length, for example, of
about 50 m with a cylindrical casing 36. The cylindrical casing 36
protects the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole
portion 3 formed by the excavation, and has an inner diameter of
about 150 mm and an outer diameter of about 165 mm in the present
embodiment. Further, since a length of one cylindrical casing 36 is
between 1 and 3 m, for example, about 2 m, a desired number of the
cylindrical casings 36 are welded or screw bonded to each other in
their end portions so as to be elongated. The hole portion 37 is
filled with the water, however, bentonite is blended in the filled
water at this time point, in the present embodiment. The water
blended with the bentonite is hereinafter called as a bentonite
blending solution 38.
An inner diameter of the hole portion 37 formed as mentioned above
is about 150 mm in the present embodiment, and an accommodated
object 102 mentioned later is desirably accommodated therein as
shown in FIG. 5. After the accommodated object 102 is accommodated
in the hole portion 37, the cylindrical casing 36 is sequentially
pulled up and removed as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. When pulling up,
the bentonite protects the inner wall portion 11 so as to prevent
the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3 from
collapsing as much as possible. The inner wall portion 11 of the
accommodation hole portion 3 formed by the excavation as mentioned
above is formed into a concavo-convex surface shape, for example,
as shown in FIG. 6B. The inner wall portion 11 is shown as a smooth
surface shape as a matter of convenience in the other drawings than
FIGS. 6B, 22B and 23B.
The bag body 5 is formed into a bottomed tubular shape in which a
core member 46 obtained by impregnating a flexible annular base
member 42 with a liquid hardening resin 43 is accommodated in the
annular gap 41 which is formed between a flexible inner bag 39 made
of resin and a flexible outer bag 40 made of resin, as shown in
FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B in the present embodiment. The flexible annular
base member 41 is formed into an annular shape along a
circumferential direction of the annular gap 41. The flexible inner
bag 39 and the flexible outer bag 40 prevent the liquid hardening
resin from leaking. The bag body 5 is accommodated in the
accommodation hole portion 3 and extends in the vertical direction
as mentioned above. The outer surface portion 6 of the bag body 5
can cover the inner wall portion 11 having the concavo-convex
surface shape in the accommodation hole portion 3 in a closely
contact state, as shown in FIG. 3, in a state in which the bag body
5 is inflated. As a result, the flexible outer bag 40 is
constructed by a resin raw material which can elongate at a certain
degree and is excellent in strength, for preventing the flexible
outer bag 40 from rubbing with the inner wall portion 11 having the
concavo-convex surface shape and breaking. In the process of
inflating the bag body 5 accommodated within the accommodation hole
portion 3 so as to extend in the vertical direction as mentioned
later, the bentonite blending solution 38 within the accommodation
hole portion 3 is discharged from an upper end 47 of the
accommodation hole portion 3 as shown by an arrow F1 in FIGS. 22A
and 22B. Further, since the liquid hardening resin 43 (FIGS. 8A and
8B) is hardened in a state in which the inner wall portion 11 is
covered in the closely contact state as mentioned above, the lining
tubular body 15 extending in the vertical direction is formed as
shown in FIG. 1B. The lining tubular body 15 forms a liquid storage
tank 19 for storing the heat medium liquid 17 as mentioned above.
The thickness of the lining tubular body 15 is set to be about 2 to
4 mm, for example, set to be about 3.5 mm, with taking into
consideration the strength for the liquid storage tank 19.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the outer surface
portion 6 of the bag body 5 can securely cover the inner wall
portion 11 having the concavo-convex surface shape of the
accommodation hole portion 3 in the closely contact state, and the
desired with portion 12 can cover a desired width portion 48 of an
outer surface portion 44 in the outer tube 10 in a bending state.
As a result, an outer diameter of the bag body 5 in an
cylindrically inflating state (FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B) is set to be
somewhat greater than the hole diameter 165 mm. For example, the
outer diameter is set to be about 185 mm.
The flexible inner bag 39 and the flexible outer bag 40 have the
flexibility as mentioned above, have a fixed strength, have a heat
resistance resisting the temperature when thermally hardening the
liquid hardening resin, and have a great coefficient of thermal
conductivity. For example, they are made of a thin resin raw
material such as vinyl having a thickness of about 0.1 to 1 mm.
The flexible annular base member 42 is provided for making the
liquid hardening resin 43 to be hardened stay in the annular gap 41
and be hard to drop, in a state in which the bag body 5 is
accommodated in the accommodation hole portion 3 in a state of
setting a length direction thereof to the vertical direction, and
is constructed by a raw material having a high coefficient of
thermal conductivity. The flexible annular base member 42 is
constructed by a warp knitted tube member 50 which is high in the
coefficient of thermal conductivity and excellent in the strength
and employs a comparatively expensive glass fiber, in the present
embodiment, and is arranged in the annular gap 41 in a state in
which an extending direction of a weft of the warp knitted tube
member 50 is aligned with the circumferential direction of the
annular gap 41 and an extending direction of a warp of the warp
knitted tube member 50 is aligned with the extending direction of
the bag body 5.
Accordingly, the warp knitted tube member 50 is formed into an
endless tubular shape in the circumferential direction in a state
of being arranged in the annular gap 41, has an excellent tensile
strength in the extending direction (the vertical direction as well
as having a stretching property in the circumferential direction
(the horizontal direction), and is excellent in flexibility.
The endless tubular shape can be formed, for example, by sewing
both side portions as seen from a width direction of the planate
warp knitted piece each other. It is possible to arrange the warp
knitted tube member 50 formed into the tubular shape in the annular
gap 41 by inserting one end portion 50a of the warp knitted tube
member 50 into one end side portion of the annular gap 41 formed
between the flexible inner bag 39 and the flexible outer bag 40 and
thereafter pulling one end 50b of the warp knitted tube member 50
from the other end 41a of the annular gap 41 toward the other end
41a via a string-like member 54, for example, as shown by a
schematic illustration in FIG. 9. The core member 46 can be
constructed by arranging the warp knitted tube member 50 in the
annular gap 41 as mentioned above, and thereafter impregnating the
warp knitted tube member 50 with the liquid hardening resin 43 as
shown by a schematic illustration in FIG. 10. The impregnation can
be achieved by supplying the liquid hardening resin 43 into the
annular gap 41 from one end side or both end sides thereof. A
thickness of the core member 46 is set, for example, about 3
mm.
Various kinds of resins can be used as the thermosetting liquid
hardening resin 43. For example, a material obtained by adding a
thermosetting hardening agent to a comparatively inexpensive
unsaturated polyester resin. As the hardening agent, there can be
listed up, for example, polyfunctional amine, polyamide, and phenol
resin, however, the hardening agent is not limited to them. In
order to further prevent the liquid hardening resin 43 impregnated
in the flexible annular base member 42 (FIG. 8A) from dropping, an
appropriate amount of thickening agent may be mixed thereto. In the
present embodiment, for example, a hardening agent hardening at a
temperature of about 80.degree. C. is employed as the thermosetting
hardening agent. It is possible to improve the coefficient of
thermal conductivity of the liquid hardening resin by mixing an
appropriate amount (for example, 10 to 40% in ratio by weight) of
silicon carbide to the unsaturated polyester resin. Therefore, it
is possible to more effectively utilize the underground heat by
improving the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the lining
tubular body 15.
The warp knitted tube member 50 (FIG. 8B) constructing the core
member 46 plays a role to retain the liquid hardening resin 43 as
mentioned above, and intends to increase strength of the lining
tubular body 15 after the lining tubular body 15 is constructed by
hardening the liquid hardening resin 43.
According to the bag body 5 having the structure mentioned above,
the warp knitted tube member 50 has the stretching property in the
circumferential direction (the horizontal direction) and is
excellent in the flexibility. As a result, the outer surface
portion 6 of the bag body 5 tends to cover in the closely contact
state the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3
while going along the concavo-convex portion 11a (FIG. 6B) of the
inner wall portion 11 forming the concavo-convex surface shape in
the accommodation hole portion 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.
Further, since the warp knitted tube member 50 has the excellent
tensile strength in the extending direction (the vertical
direction) thereof, it is possible to suppress the elongation of
the bag body 5 in the vertical direction as much as possible when
accommodating the bag body 5 within the accommodation hole portion
3.
In the bag body 5, the warp knitted tube member 50 having the
structure mentioned above is a constituent element of the core
member 46 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. As a result, it is possible
to effortlessly cover the inner wall portion 11 of the
accommodation hole portion 3 on the basis of the stretching
property in the circumferential direction (the horizontal
direction) and easily bring into close contact with the inner wall
portion 11, as shown in FIG. 23B.
Since the flexible outer bag 40 constructing the liquid storage
tank 19 having the structure mentioned above is in the closely
contact state with the inner wall portion 11 as shown in FIG. 3,
the flexible outer bag 40 is safe from peeling off. However, the
flexible inner bag 39 is at risk of peeling from the inner
peripheral surface 51 (FIGS. 8A and 8B) of the hardened core member
46 due to the aged deterioration since the inner peripheral surface
of the flexible inner bag 38 is in a free state. In the case that
the peeling portion is broken, the heat medium liquid piles up
between the peeling film portion and the core member 46. As a
result, the movement of the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid
storage tank 19 is inhibited.
Accordingly, in the present embodiment, in order to more improve an
integration strength of the flexible inner bag 39 and the core
member 46, an inner surface of the flexible inner bag 39 in the
flexible outer bag 40 side opposed to the flexible inner bag 39 is
covered with a felt (for example, having a thickness of about 1 mm)
52, and the felt 52 is thermally deposited to the flexible inner
bag 39 like a spot, for example, at an interval of about 10 cm, for
example, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B. Therefore, the felt 52 is
impregnated with the liquid hardening resin 43 of the core member
46, and the flexible inner bag 39 is integrated with the hardened
core member 46 via the felt 52 by hardening the liquid hardening
resin 43. As a result, it is possible to prevent the peeling of the
flexible inner bag 39 as mentioned above.
In a specific structure of the bag body 5 having the bottomed
tubular shape, a bottom member 57 is bonded to a lower end tube
portion 56 of a flexible tubular member (which is structured such
that the tubular core member 46 is arranged between the flexible
inner bag 38 having open upper and lower ends and the flexible
outer bag 40) 55 formed into a tubular shape which is open in upper
and lower ends, and a lid member 60 is bonded to an upper end tube
portion 59 of the flexible tubular member 55, as shown in FIGS. 11A
to 11C.
The bottom member 57 has a concave portion 61 which communicates
with an internal space 58 of the flexible tubular member 55, and a
lower end 7 of the outer tube 10 communicates with the concave
portion 61 as shown in FIG. 12. The bottom member 57 is constituted
by an upper member 62 and a lower member 63 more specifically as
shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 to 14. The upper member 62 is formed into
a cylindrical shape made of a synthetic resin, an inner diameter
thereof is set to be about 30 mm, an outer diameter thereof is set
to be about 60 mm, and a communication hole 65 which is open in
upper and lower ends is provided. Further, three fixing peripheral
grooves 69 are provided in each of upper and lower sides of an
upper portion 67 of the outer peripheral portion 66 at intervals,
and a lower end tube 70 thereof is formed as a male thread tube
portion 72 which is provided with a male thread portion 71 in the
outer peripheral portion 66, as shown in FIG. 13. The upper member
62 is inserted into the lower end tube portion 70 of the flexible
tubular member 55 as shown in FIG. 12, and is connected to the
lower end tube portion 70 by being fastened in the fixing
peripheral grooves 69, 69 and 69 by a band member 73 which is wound
to the lower end tube portion 70.
Further, the lower member 63 is provided with a bottomed hole
portion 75 which can, communicate with the communication hole 65 as
shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 to 14, and is provided with a
communication tube 76 for communicating with the bottomed hole
portion 75. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, an upward protruding
connection tube portion 77 provided in the communication tube 76 is
connected to the lower end 7 of the outer tube 10. Further, the
lower member 63 is made of, for example, stainless steel in the
present embodiment, and has a cylindrical portion 80 which can be
threadably engaged with the male thread tube portion 72 and is
formed into a female thread tube portion 79 having an inner
diameter of about 30 mm, in its upper portion, as shown in FIGS. 12
and 13. One side portion 81 of the cylindrical portion 80 is formed
into an expanded portion 84 which is expanded its diameter from an
upper end 82 thereof toward a lower end 83, and a lower end open
portion 85 of the expanded portion 84 is closed by a bottom plate
portion 86. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the lower end 89 of the
communication tube 76 protruding upward is connected to a
communication port 88 which is provided at an intermediate height
position of the expanded portion 84, and the connection tube 77 of
the communication tube portion 76 is formed as a female thread tube
portion 92 (the connection tube portion 77) which can be threadably
engaged with a connection male thread tube portion 91 provided in a
lower end portion of the outer tube 10. FIG. 12 shows a state in
which the outer tube 10 communicates with the lower end 9 of the
bag body 5 by threadably engaging and fastening the connection male
thread tube portion 91 with and to the connection female thread
tube portion 91, and the outer tube 10 is provided in a rising
manner in the extending direction (the vertical direction) of the
bag body 5.
Further, the lower surface 93 of the bottom plate portion 86 is
formed as a circular arc surface 95 which is convex downward, as
shown in FIG. 12, and an outer peripheral edge portion of the
bottom plate portion 86 is formed as a collar portion 97 which
protrudes to an outer side of a peripheral edge of the lower end
open portion 85 (FIG. 12). The collar portion 97 constructs an
expanded protection portion 98 which protrudes to an outer side of
an outer peripheral surface of the upper member 62, a locking piece
101 having a locking hole 100 provided for suspending a weight 99
is arranged in a protruding manner in the center portion of the
lower surface 93, and the locking hole 100 somewhat displaces to an
axis L1 side of the outer tube 10 in relation to an axis L2 of the
upper member 62. The weight 99 is structured, for example, such
that a diameter is about 80 mm, a length is about 300 mm and a
weight is about 30 kg.
Further, the upper member 62 and the lower member 63 are connected
and integrated by threadably engaging and fastening the male thread
tube portion 72 with and to the female thread tube portion 70, as
shown in FIGS. 12 and 14, so that the bottom member 57 is
constructed.
The lid member 60 is constructed by using a columnar member 105
which is provided in a penetrating manner with a circular through
hole 106 along a center axis and is made, of a synthetic resin, as
shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C and 15 to 16. An outer diameter of the
columnar member 105 is set to be about 150 mm, and is provided with
the through hole 106 having an inner diameter of about 30 mm, and
fixing groove portions 109 and 109 continuing in the
circumferential direction are provided in upper and lower sides of
the outer peripheral portion 107, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.
The through hole 106 is formed as a thread hole 110, and an upper
thread hole 111 corresponding to an upper portion thereof and a
lower thread hole 112 corresponding to a lower side portion thereof
are formed as revere thread holes. Further, as shown in FIG. 16, in
the upper thread hole 111 of the thread hole 110, an upper end open
portion 116 of the through hole 106 is closed by threadably
engaging and fastening a thread shaft portion 115 of a plug body
113.
The inner tube 21 is divided into two sections including an upper
tube member 118 and a lower tube member 120 as shown in FIGS. 1A,
1B and 17 in the present embodiment, and the inner tube 21 (FIGS.
1A and 1B) is set to be in a state of being attached to the lid
member 60, by threadably engaging a male thread piping portion 121
forming a lower portion of the upper tube member 118 with the upper
thread hole 111, and threadably engaging a male thread piping
portion 122 forming an upper portion of the lower tube member 120
with the lower thread hole 112. In the present embodiment, the
lower tube member 120 is attached to the lid member 60 prior to the
connection of the lid member 60 to the upper end tube portion 59
(FIG. 11A), as shown in FIG. 18. Thereafter, the lid member 60 to
which the lower tube member 120 is attached is inserted into the
upper end tube portion 59 as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, and is
connected to the upper end tube portion 59 by being fastened in the
fixing groove portions 109 and 109 (FIG. 16) by a band member 117
which is wound to the upper end tube portion 59.
The outer tube 10 employs an aluminum pipe 119 as a core tube, and
is constructed by using a tube body 122 which is coated with, for
example, a polyethylene resin in an inner surface 120 and an outer
surface 121 thereof, as shown in FIG. 19 in the present embodiment.
Further, an inner diameter of the outer tube 10 is about 40 mm and
an outer diameter thereof is about 50 mm. Since the outer tube 10
is constructed by using the tube body 122 employing the aluminum
pipe 119 as the core tube, the rigidity thereof is improved.
Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the connection male thread tube
portion 91 is provided in a lower end portion of the outer tube
10.
When constructing the liquid storage tank 19 for the underground
heat exchanger 1, the accommodated object constituted by the weight
99, the bag body 5 and the outer tube 10 is taken down into the
accommodation hole portion 3 (the hole portion 37 in the present
embodiment) in a state in which the weight 99 is suspended in the
locking hole 100, as shown in FIG. 5. In the present embodiment,
since the locking hole 100 is somewhat deviated to the outer tube
10 side in relation to the axis L2 of the upper member 62 as shown
in FIG. 12, it is possible to take the accommodation object 102
down into the accommodation hole portion 3 in a balanced manner so
as to secure an approximately vertical state.
When taking down the accommodated object 102 into the accommodation
hole portion 3, the bag body 5 is set to an enveloping state so as
to envelop the outer tube 10, for example, as shown in FIGS. 20 and
21, while carrying the bag body 5 having a length of about 50 m and
the outer tube 10 having a length of about 50 m which are wound to
independent reels, in the construction field, and simultaneously
rewinding the bag body 5 and the outer tube 10. The enveloped
material 103 formed in the enveloping state as mentioned above is
formed into a tubular shape as a whole with a small width, as shown
in FIG. 5, and can be prevented from protruding to an outer side of
the collar portion 97. The enveloped material 103 is preferably
bound by using a binding member 104 which is broken by the
inflation mentioned later of the bag body 5. For example, as shown
in FIG. 5, it is bound at vertical intervals of about 1 m.
In the case that a rubber band or a paper string is used as the
binding member 104, the rubber band or the paper string is broken
by going beyond its allowable tensile force due to the inflation of
the bag body 5, so that the bag body 5 can continuously inflate.
Further, a pair of surface-like fasteners which can be engaged with
each other and can be disengaged from each other can be used as the
binding member 104. In this case, one surface-like fastener is
attached to one edge portion of the enveloped material 103, and the
other surface-like fastener is attached to the other edge portion
side (the other edge portion of a closer side to the other edge
portion) of the enveloped material 103. Therefore, the bag body 5
comes to a desired inflation state by setting the bag body 5 to an
enveloping state so as to envelop the outer tube 10 and thereafter
setting both the surface-like fasteners to a mutually detachable
engagement state. As a result, the engagement state of both the
surface-like fasteners is canceled. In the present invention, the
cancellation of the engagement between both the surface-like
fasteners is called as the breakage of the surface-like fastener.
In the case that the surface-like fastener is broken, the bag body
5 can continuously inflate.
The enveloped material 103 bound by the binding member 104 is taken
down toward a bottom portion of the accommodation hole portion 3
from an upper end 47 thereof by utilizing its own weight of the
weight 99. At this time, it is possible to lower the enveloped
material 103 while suppressing its elongation since the outer tube
10 is positioned in an inner portion of the enveloped material 103
and the outer tube 10 serves as a tensile force bearing core
member.
Particularly, in the present embodiment, since the warp extending
direction of the warp knitted tube member 50 is aligned with the
extending direction of the bag body 5 (the extending direction of
the enveloped material 103), it is possible to lower while further
suppressing the elongation. Further, in the present embodiment,
since the expanded protection portion 98 is provided in such a
manner as to protrude to an outer side of the outer peripheral
surface of the upper member 62, it is possible to more smoothly
lower the bottom member 57 which forms a lower end portion of the
enveloped material 103 while making a lateral oscillation within
the hole portion 37 less, when lowering the enveloped material
103.
Further, in a state in which the accommodated object 102 is
desirably taken down within the accommodation hole portion 3, the
outer tube 10 can achieve its self-standing state extending in the
vertical direction within the hole portion 37 on the basis of its
rigidity. In this state, the bag body 5 is in an arranged state of
being accommodated in the accommodation hole portion 3 and
extending in the vertical direction.
Thereafter, the cylindrical casing 36 (FIG. 5) is sequentially
pulled up while being rotated and is removed. In this removing
work, the cylindrical casing 36 can be easily passed through the
upper portion of the bag body 5 and be detached, since the bag body
5 is in an arranged state of being extended in the vertical
direction via the outer tube 10. FIGS. 6A and 6B show a state in
which the cylindrical casing 36 is removed. Since the inner wall
portion 11 after the cylindrical casing 36 is pulled up as
mentioned above is protected by the bentonite as mentioned above,
the collapse of the inner wall portion 11 is suppressed.
In this state, the bag body 5 is sequentially inflated from its
lower side toward its upper side by supplying the water with the
pump from the upper end of the outer tube 10 (an arrow F2) and
sequentially supplying the water into the bag body 5 in the
enveloped state, as shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B. The inflation is
carried out together with the discharge of the residual air within
the bag body 5 from the upper end open portion 116 in a state in
which the plug body 113 (FIG. 16) is detached from the columnar
member 105. The inflation is carried out together with the open of
the enveloped state of the bag body 5, and the bentonite blending
solution 38 within the accommodation hole portion 3 is sequentially
discharged from the upper end 47 of the accommodation hole portion
3 as shown by the arrow F1 in FIG. 22A together with the inflation
of the bag body 5. After the inflation of the bag body 5
accompanying the discharging is finished, the upper end open
portion 116 of the through hole 106 is closed by threadably
engaging and fastening the plug body 113 with and to the upper
thread hole 111. The bag body 5 is further inflated by further
supplying the water with the pump from the upper end of the outer
tube 10 in this state, and the outer surface portion 6 of the bag
body 5 comes to a closely contact state with the outer tube 10 and
the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3 as
shown in FIG. 23B in conjunction with the water pressure
increase.
The bag body 5 is inflated while the enveloped state is opened. As
a result, the binding member 104 (FIG. 22A) such as the rubber
band, the paper string and the surface-like fastener is broken. On
the basis of the inflation of the bag body 5 mentioned above, the
outer tube 10 comes to a state of being accommodated within the
accommodation hole portion 3 in a state of being pinched between
the outer surface portion 6 of the bag body 5 and the inner wall
portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3, as shown in FIG. 3.
More particularly, the outer tube 10 comes to a state of being
supported by the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole
portion 3 on the basis of the inflation of the bag body 5, and the
outer surface portion 44 of the outer tube 10 in the supported
state comes to a state of being covered with the desired width
portion 12 of the outer surface portion 6 in the bag body 5 as seen
in the circumferential direction. Further, the other portion 13
than the desired width portion 12 of the outer surface portion 6
comes to a state of covering the inner wall portion 11 in a closely
contact state.
Thereafter, the male thread piping portion 121 of the upper tube
member 118 is threadably engaged with the upper thread hole 111
(FIG. 17) after detaching the plug body 113 (FIG. 16) as shown in
FIG. 24. The hot water having a temperature which can harden the
hardening resin is sequentially supplied to the outer tube 10 on
the basis of the operation of the pump in this state, the water
within the bag body 5 is discharged in the upper end of the upper
tube member 118 in conjunction with the supply, and the discharged
water is supplied to the outer tube 10 as the hot water while being
heated by a boiler to a desired temperature.
By continuing this operation for a desired time period, there is
formed the lining tube body 15 in which the FRP reinforced by the
hardened material of the core member 46 is interposed between the
flexible inner bag 39 and the flexible outer bag 40, as shown in
FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 8A and 8B, on the basis of the hardening of
the hardening resin. The lining tubular body 15 serves as the
liquid storage tank 19. Since the lining tubular body 15 is
constructed by using the warp knitted tube member 50 (FIG. 8B) in
addition to the excellent water proofing property of the lining
tubular body 15, the lining tubular body 15 has a high coefficient
of thermal conductivity and is excellent in strength. The outer
tube 10 is in a state of being pinched between the desired width
portion 129 of the outer surface portion 127 in the lining tubular
body 15 and the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole
portion 3, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Further, the other portion
130 than the desired width portion 129 of the outer surface portion
127 is in a state of covering the inner wall portion 11 in the
closely contact state.
In the present embodiment, an air layer 132 for absorbing the
inflation is provided in the upper portion of the liquid storage
tank 19 structured as mentioned above, taking into consideration
the inflation of the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid
storage tank 19, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The volumetric
capacity of the air layer 132 is set, for example, such that the
inflation can be absorbed even in the case that the heat medium
liquid 17 is inflated in the summer season. As a result, it is
possible to prevent the liquid storage tank 19 from being broken by
the inflation, and it is possible to prevent the lid member 60 from
being detached by the pressure of the inflation. In the present
embodiment, the air layer 132 is provided in the upper portion of
the liquid storage tank 19 at a vertical length of about 50 to 100
cm. The air layer 132 provided in the upper portion of the liquid
storage tank 19 as mentioned above also serves as a heat insulating
layer for making the heat medium liquid 17 hard to be affected by
the ambient temperature in the land surface.
A description will be given of an action of the underground heat
exchanger 1 having the structure mentioned above in the winter
season and the summer season, respectively. In the winter season,
the temperature of the circumferential underground where the liquid
storage tank 19 is buried is relatively higher than the surface
temperature of the heat absorbing and radiating area, for example,
requiring snow melting.
As a result, the underground heat exchanger 1 is actuated as
follows in this case. More specifically, in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the
heat medium liquid 17 cooled for melting snow in the process of
passing through the heat absorbing and radiating tube portion 26 is
flowed into the liquid storage tank 19 from the lower end 7 of the
outer tube 10 by driving the pump 33. At the same time, the heat
medium liquid 17 is fed to the heat absorbing and radiating tube
portion 26 from the lower end 125 of the inner tube 21. As a
result, the heat medium liquid 17 flowing into the liquid storage
tank 19 from the lower end 7 of the outer tube 10 lowers the
temperature of the heat medium liquid 17 which is stored within the
liquid storage tank 19. However, since the heat transfer is
generated from a circumferential underground 133 having a
relatively high temperature to the heat medium liquid within the
liquid storage tank 19, the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid
storage tank 19 is heated little by little.
Further, since the residual portion 130 of the outer surface
portion 127 in the lining tubular body 15 which constructs the
liquid storage tank 19 is in the closely contact state with the
inner wall portion 11, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the heat
transfer from the circumferential underground 133 to the heat
medium liquid 17 within the liquid storage tank 19 is effectively
generated. In addition, since the outer tube 10 is in contact with
the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3, the
heat transfer is generated from the underground 133 to the heat
medium liquid 17 within the outer tube 10, and the heat medium
liquid 17 within the outer tube 10 is expected to be heated, and
the heat efficiency of the underground heat exchanger 1 is expected
to be improved.
Further, since the outer tube 10 does not exist within the liquid
storage tank 19, any direct heat transfer (the heat transfer as
described in the Patent Literatures 1 and 2) is not generated from
the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid storage tank 19 toward
the heat medium liquid 17 within the outer tube 10. In the case
that the outer tube 10 exists within the liquid storage tank 19,
the heat transfer is generated from the heat medium liquid 17 which
is concentrated in the upper portion within the liquid storage tank
19 and is warmer toward the heat medium liquid 17 within the outer
tube 10, and the temperature of the heat medium liquid 17 in the
upper portion is lowered, thereby lowering the heat efficiency of
the underground heat exchanger 1. The outer tube 10 is partly in
contact with the outer surface 127 of the lining tubular body 15,
however, a wall portion 136 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) of the lining tubular
body 15 and a wall portion 137 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) of the outer tube
10 have the heat insulating property. Therefore, the heat transfer
is hardly generated from the heat medium liquid 17 within the
liquid storage tank 19 toward the heat medium liquid 17 within the
outer tube 10.
In the present embodiment, the heated heat medium liquid 17 is
structured such as to be sucked by a lower end 125 of the inner
tube 21 and the lower end 125 is arranged in the upper portion of
the liquid storage tank 19 as mentioned above because the warm heat
medium liquid is collected in the upper portion within the liquid
storage tank 19.
On the contrary, the temperature of the circumferential underground
in which the liquid storage tank 19 is buried is relatively lower
than the temperature of the area to be heat radiated, in the summer
season. As a result, the underground heat exchanger 1 is actuated
as follows in this case. More specifically, the heat medium liquid
17 passing through the heat absorbing and radiating tube portion 26
and temperature raised in the process of cooling the area to be
heat absorbed is flowed into the liquid storage tank 19 from the
lower end 125 of the inner tube 21 by driving the pump 33. At the
same time, the heat medium liquid 17 flowing into the liquid
storage tank 19 from the lower end 125 of the inner tube 21 raises
the temperature of the heat medium liquid 17 stored within the
liquid storage tank 19, by flowing the heat medium liquid 17 into
the liquid storage tank 19 from the lower end 7 of the outer tube
10. However, since the heat transfer is efficiently generated from
the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid storage tank 19 to the
circumferential underground which is relatively lower in its
temperature, the temperature of the heat medium liquid 17 within
the liquid storage tank 19 is lowered little by little.
Further, since the cooler heat medium liquid is collected in the
lower portion of the liquid storage tank 19, the cooler heat medium
liquid is fed to the heat absorbing and radiating tube portion 26
from the lower end 7 of the outer tube 10. In this case, the outer
tube 10 does not exist within the liquid storage tank 19 in the
same manner as mentioned above. Therefore, any direct heat transfer
as described in the Patent Literatures 1 and 2 is not generated
from the heat medium liquid within the liquid storage tank 19
toward the heat medium liquid within the outer tube 10. In the case
that the outer tube 10 exists within the liquid storage tank 19,
the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid storage tank 19 is in a
state of being warmer in its upper side, and the heat transfer is
accordingly generated from the warmer heat medium liquid 17 toward
the cooler heat medium liquid 17 rising up within the outer tube
10. As a result, the temperature of the heat medium liquid 17
within the outer tube 10 is raised, thereby lowering the heat
efficiency of the underground heat exchanger 1.
Further, in the present embodiment, since the inner wall portion 11
is formed into the concavo-convex surface shape as shown in FIG.
23B, an inner peripheral surface 139 of the lining tubular body 15
is formed into a concavo-convex surface shape. As a result, the
concavo-convex surface can generate turbulent flow in the heat
medium liquids when the heat medium liquid 17 flowing into the
liquid storage tank 19 from the lower end of the outer tube 10
moves upward, and when the heat medium liquid flowing into the
liquid storage tank 19 from the inner tube 21 moves downward.
Therefore, it is possible to improve the moving efficiency of the
underground heat in relation to the heat medium liquid 17 within
the liquid storage tank 19.
Embodiment 2
FIGS. 25 to 26 show the other embodiment of the underground heat
exchanger 1 according to the present invention, and the underground
heat exchanger 1 is provided with a bottomed tubular flexible bag
body 140 which is accommodated in the accommodation hole portion 3
arranged in the ground 2 in the vertical direction and extends in
the vertical direction, and the outer tube 10 which is accommodated
in the accommodation hole portion 3 and is communicated in its
lower end 7 with a lower end 9 of the bag body 140. The bag body
140 has a water proofing property and can form the liquid storage
tank 19 for storing the heat medium liquid 17. In a state in which
the bag body 140 is inflated, an outer surface portion 142 of the
bag body 140 can cover the inner wall portion 11 of the
accommodation hole portion 3 in a closely contact state. Further,
the outer tube 10 is structured, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, such
as to be pinched between the outer surface portion 142 of the bag
body 140 and the inner wall portion 11.
When constructing the underground heat exchanger 1, the ground is
excavated at a desired depth together with the cylindrical casing
36 in a state in which the excavation bit is expanded its diameter
in the same manner as described on the basis of FIGS. 4A and 4B in
the embodiment 1. FIG. 27 shows a hole portion 37 which is formed
by covering the inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole
portion 3 formed by the excavation bit and having a depth, for
example, of about 50 m with the cylindrical casing 3. The
cylindrical casing 36 is structured such as to protect the inner
wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3 which is formed
by the excavation, and is about 150 mm in its inner diameter and
about 165 mm in its outer diameter in the present embodiment. In
the same manner as mentioned above, the length of one cylindrical
casing 36 is between 1 and 3 m, for example, about 2 m. As a
result, the desired number of cylindrical casings 36 are elongated
by welding their end portions or threadably bonding their end
portions.
After an accommodated object 145 constituted by the weight 99, the
bag body 140 and the outer tube 10 is accommodated as shown in FIG.
28 in the hole portion 37 formed as mentioned above, the
cylindrical casing 36 is sequentially pulled up and removed as
shown in FIGS. 29A and 29B.
The bag body 140 is formed into a hose shape, for example, made of
polyester woven fabric, as shown in FIG. 29B, in the present
embodiment, is coated in an inner surface 146 thereof with a
polyester resin and has a water proofing property and a pressure
resistance. The bag body 140 is not formed by the hardening resin
as mentioned above. Therefore, the bag body 140 is different from
the bag body 5 which is formed by the hardening resin according to
the above embodiment, and does not construct the lining tubular
body 15 mentioned above. The inflating state of the bag body 14 is
retained only by the water pressure of the heat medium liquid 17
which is stored within the bag body 140 as shown in FIG. 26.
Therefore, according to the bag body 140, the bag body 140 is
inflated by supplying the water into the bag body 140 from the
upper end of the outer tube 10 by the pump, and the outer surface
portion 147 of the bag body 140 comes to a state of covering the
inner wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3 in a
closely contact state. As a result, there comes to a state in which
a liquid protection member is interposed between the inner wall
portion 11 and the outer surface portion 147. The collapsing of the
inner wall portion 11 is prevented by the thereafter hardening of
the liquid protection member. Further, the outer tube 10 comes to a
state of being pinched between the outer surface portion 142 of the
bag body 140 and the inner wall portion 11 as shown in FIG. 26, in
the same manner as that of the embodiment 1 mentioned above in this
state.
Since the operating state of the underground heat exchanger 1
having the bag body 140 having the structure mentioned above is the
same as mentioned above, a description thereof will be omitted.
Embodiment 3
It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to
the structures shown by the embodiments mentioned above, but can be
variously design changed and modified within the description in
"Claims". Some examples thereof will be listed up as follows.
(1) The accommodation hole portion 3 may be constructed by a hole
portion 149 of a concrete pile 150 which has the hole portion 149
in a vertical direction, for example, as shown its partial cross
sectional view in FIG. 30, in addition to the accommodation hole
portion 3 constructed by excavating the ground in the vertical
direction. Alternatively, the accommodation hole portion may be
constructed by a hole portion 149 of a steel tube pile 151 which
has the hole portion 149 in the vertical direction, for example, as
shown its partial cross sectional view in FIG. 31.
In these cases, in the same manner as mentioned above, an inner
surface 152 of the hole portion 149 (the accommodation hole portion
3) is set to a state of being covered with the lining tubular body
15 in the same manner as mentioned above, or a state of being
covered with the bag body (which is not formed by the hardening
resin) 140 mentioned above. In FIGS. 30 and 31, the outer tube 10
is arranged in the same manner as that in the embodiment 1 and the
embodiment 2. In this case, since the hole portion 149 is a smooth
surface, the inner peripheral surface 152 of the lining tubular
body 15 or an inner peripheral surface 153 of the bag body (which
is not formed by the hardening resin) 140 is formed into a smooth
surface. The inner surface of the concrete pile 150 or the steel
tube pile 151 is covered with the lining tube body 15 or the bag
body 140. As a result, it is possible to prevent calcium carbonate
from precipitating from the inner surface of the hole portion 149
of the pile 150 particularly in the case of the concrete pile 150,
so that it is possible to prevent the calcium carbonate from
clogging the piping of the heat pump. Further, in the case of the
steel tube pile 151, it is possible to prevent rust from being
generated in the inner surface of the hole portion 149, and it is
possible to prevent the rust from clogging the piping of the heat
pump. As mentioned above, the bentonite is not required in the case
of using the concrete pile or the steel tube pile. The concrete
pile is preferably used also as a support pile which supports the
building.
(2) In the case that the accommodation hole portion 3 is formed by
excavating the ground, the accommodation hole portion 3 may be
formed by excavating a rock bed. In this case, the bag body 5 or
the bag body 140 can be inflated by the air. Further, in this case,
the cylindrical casing 36 and the bentonite is not necessarily used
when excavating.
(3) In the case that the flexible annular base member 42 is set to
the warp knitted tube member 50, the raw material thereof may be a
carbon fiber in addition to the glass fiber.
(4) The flexible annular base member 42 constructing the core
member 46 can be constructed by using the warp knitted tube member
50 and can be also constructed by using a felt, a woven fabric, an
unwoven fabric or a Japan paper.
(5) The liquid hardening resin 43 may be of an ultraviolet
hardening type in addition to the thermal hardening type. In the
case of the thermal hardening type, a hardening temperature thereof
can be set to 65.degree. C. or 80.degree. C. Alternatively, the
hardening temperature may be set to a naturally hardening
temperature.
(6) In order to improve a coefficient of thermal conductivity of
the liquid hardening resin 43, the resin may be mixed with aluminum
oxide or silicon carbide.
(7) As the means for thermally hardening the liquid hardening resin
43, it is possible to employ a power feeding heat generating means
which utilizes heat generation caused by the power feeding. One
example of the power feeding heat generating means is the means
which hardens by knitting or weaving a heating wire such as a
copper wire (for example, having a diameter between 0.4 and 0.6 mm)
generating heat with an electric current to the flexible inner bag
39 or the flexible outer bag 40 in an extending direction or a
horizontal direction or a diagonal direction of the bag body 5 so
as to arrange approximately in an even state, by power feeding with
a battery so as to generate heat. When constructing as mentioned
above, it is possible to thermally harden the liquid hardening
resin of the bag body 5 without necessity of a great power, by
compartmentalizing the bag body 5 having the flexibility into a
plurality of sections (for example, for sections) with a desired
width in a circumferential direction thereof, constructing the heat
generating portion in each of the sections and power feeding the
heat generating portions.
(8) The outer tube 10 may be formed as a tube made of a synthetic
resin such as a tube made of vinyl chloride or a tube made of
polyethylene.
(9) By the provision of a spiral guiding protrusion portion from
its lower end toward its upper end in an inner peripheral surface
of the constructed lining tubular body 15, it is possible to
spirally move the heat medium liquid which flows into the liquid
storage tank 19 from the lower end of the outer tube 10 and rises
up and the heat medium which flows into the liquid storage tank 19
from the inner tube 21 and lowers down, in an upward direction or a
downward direction along the spiral guiding protrusion portion. As
a result, since it is possible to raise or lower the heat medium
liquid while bringing the heat medium liquid 17 within the liquid
storage tank 19 into contact with the inner peripheral surface 139
of the lining tubular body 15 as much as possible, it is possible
to improve a moving efficiency of the underground heat into the
heat medium liquid within the liquid storage tank 19.
(10) The bottom member 57 may be constructed by connecting the
upper portion of the lower member 63 to the lower portion of the
upper member 62 by welding or adhesive bonding.
(11) The bottom portion 57 may be integrally molded by resin.
(12) The bag body 5 has the flexibility before being hardened, and
the outer surface portion 6 of the bag body 5 can cover the inner
wall portion 11 of the accommodation hole portion 3 in the closely
contact state in the state in which the bag body 5 is inflated, and
may be constructed in a bag shape which is formed by a single
hardening resin.
(13) In the present invention, the feature that the outer surface
portion 6 of the bag body 5 covers the inner wall portion 11 of the
accommodation hole portion 3 in the closely contact state is not
the case that the outer surface portion 6 covers the inner wall
portion 11 in a state in which the outer surface portion 6 entirely
comes into contact with the inner wall portion 11 in a surface
shape, but includes the case that the outer surface portion 6
covers the inner wall portion 11 in a state in which the outer
surface portion 6 partly gets wrinkled.
(14) The binding member 104 formed by desirably binding the
enveloped material 103 may be broken prior to the inflation of the
bag body 5 as mentioned above. A breaking means using a string
material for breaking can be exemplified as a means for
breaking.
The breaking means achieves a state in which the other end portion
of the string material is positioned on the ground, by passing the
string material fixed its one end to the ground fixed portion
through each of the binding members in a state of being bound at
desired intervals in an extending direction of the enveloped
material 103, and folding back the string material upward din the
lower end of the lower end binding member in a state in which the
enveloped material 103 is accommodated in the accommodation hole
portion 3. Further, the string material is structured such as to
break the binding member sequentially from the below by
sequentially pulling up the other end portion.
For example, in order to more smoothly lower the accommodation
object 102 when accommodating the accommodated object 102 including
the enveloped material 103 into the accommodation hole portion 3,
the bottom member 57 (FIG. 11C) forming the lower end portion of
the enveloped material 103 is preferably set to a covered state, as
shown in FIG. 5. For that purpose, a cylinder portion is provided
in a rising manner by a collar portion 97 (FIGS. 12 to 13) serving
as the expanded protection portion 98 which forms an outer
peripheral edge portion of the bottom plate portion 86 of the
bottom member 57, for example, shown in FIGS. 12 to 13, and the
bottom member 57 is set to an accommodated state into the cylinder
portion. At this time, a guide convex portion having a lower
portion formed into a downward semicircular shape is preferably
provided in the lower end of the cylinder portion.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
1 underground heat exchanger 2 ground 3 accommodation hole portion
5 bag body 10 outer tube 11 inner wall portion 12 desired width
portion 13 residual portion 15 lining tubular body 16 internal
space 17 heat medium liquid 19 liquid storage tank 21 inner tube 39
flexible inner bag 40 flexible outer bag 41 annular gap 42 flexible
annular base member 43 liquid hardening resin 44 outer surface
portion 46 core member 49 desired width portion 50 warp knitted
tube member 55 flexible tubular member 56 lower end tube portion 57
bottom member 59 upper end tube portion 60 lid member 61
communicated concave portion 62 upper member 63 lower member 65
communication hole 69 fixing peripheral groove 85 lower end open
portion 86 bottom plate portion 97 collar portion 98 expanded
protection portion 99 weight 100 locking hole 101 locking piece 113
plug body 115 thread shaft portion 118 upper tube member 120 lower
tube member 140 bag body
* * * * *